All purpose drip tray and plate



Oct. 14, 1958 F. C.'SCHNABEL 2,356,095

- ALL PURPOSE DRIP TRAY AND PLATE Filed Oct. 29, 1956 mini 1" 'flllunull.

- INVENTOR.

ALL PURPOSE DRIP TRAY AND PLATE Fred C. Schnabel, St. Louis Park, Minn. Application October 29, 1956, Serial No. 618,857

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-85) i/ide an all purpose drip tray and plate of the above type including a substantially hollow, frusto-conical bottom plate having releasable means for securing the same to the bottom of the conventional paint can so as to prevent the paint from dripping onto the surrounding area and which bottom plate may also be used to support intermediate the plate and can a newspaper for further shielding as well as many other purposes.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view shown partly in section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in operative use;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view looking down on Fig. 1 and showing in phantom the position of the brush when not in use;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view shown alone of the separable bottom plate forming a part of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the bottom plate in operative use on the bottom of the paint can and supporting therebetween a newspaper;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing the drip tray in operativeuse for supporting the tipped paint can;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view shown partly in section of the drip tray in operative position on the paint can and supporting a cloth strainer; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 6, 11) indicates a paint can having the usual handle portion 11, substantially as illustrated. 1

In the practice of my invention an all purpose drip tray and plate is provided and includes the hollow, frustoconical bottom plate 12 of aluminum foil or other similar material and provided at the center thereof with the fixedly mounted suction cup 13 by means of which the same may be releasably secured to the lower end of the paint can as shown in Fig. 1 thereby to provide a collecting plate surrounding the can to prevent the spillage of paint onto the surrounding area.

The invention further includes a hollow, frusto-conical drip tray 14 open at the top and bottom and integrally formed along its smaller lower open end with the outwardly extending flange 15 (Fig. 1) adapted to be snapped over the inwardly extending rim of the conven- Patented Oct. 14, 1958 e 1 Ce tional paint can 10. The bottom plate 12 and tray 14 are formed of hard aluminum foil, paper or other suitable material. As shown in Fig. 1, the top drip tray 14 will support the conventional paint brush 16 and prevent the drippage of paint down onto the can and the surrounding area.

When the paint can is not being used, the bottom plate 12 may be removed from the bottom of the paint can 10 and inserted into the top drip tray 14 whereby to provide a cover to keep the paint fresh.

The bottom tray 12 may also be used, as shown in Fig. .4, to secure intermediate the bottom of the paint can 10 and the bottom plate the newspaper 17 being previously provided with a central opening which receives upwardly therethrough the suction cup 13 whereby to provide protection for the surrounding area. This will permit the newspaper to be transported along with the can 10 in a convenient manner.

The bottom plate 12 may also be suitably secured to the step ladder, not shown, by means of thumb tacks or the like whereby to fixedly position thereon the paint can 10 by means of the suction cup 13 and to mount the newspaper 17 as shown in Fig. 4, whereby to mount the paint without the danger of slippage or falling from the rest of the step ladder when moving the ladder.

As shown in Fig. 7, the bottom plate 12 may be cut.

in half to provide the dust pan 18 after removing the suction cup 13 to be used with the whisk broom 19.

The detachable drip tray 14 may also be used with a detachable bail, not shown, to support the can from a door knob or the like, this bail being shown in my prior United States Patent No. 2,630,241.

The bottom plate 12 may also be used alone by mounting the same on the leg of a chair or the like not shown, by means of the suction cup 13 while painting the legs and to prevent thereby the paint from dripping onto the floor and surrounding surface. If a larger protection area is desired, the newspapers can be inserted between the leg of the chair and the tray in the manner of Fig. 4. Here again the drip tray 14 will be employed at the top of the paint can for supporting the brush 16.

As shown in Fig. 6, the drip tray 14 may also be used for positioning the cloth strainer 20 across the open upper end of the paint can 119 and to conduct the paint inwardly across the straining area without dripping. A similar drip tray may be used on the pouring can. To assemble, it is only necessary to hang the cloth 211 over the paint can 10 and to snap the drip tray 14- into position over the inside rim edge of the paint can. The bottom plate 12 will then be convenient for supporting the paint brush while not being used after being removed from the can.

As shown in Fig. 5, the drip tray 14 will also support the open upper end of the can 10 when the latter is dipped and tilted, for getting the last amount of paint from the can.

It will also be apparent that the bottom plate 12 and drip trays 14 can nest within one another for compactness in shipping and storage.

The bottom plate 12 may also be used without the drip tray 14 in a similar manner with professional paint cans which are devoid of the inwardly extending rim of the can of Fig. 1 and the bottom plate 12 when not in use may be used as a convenient closure for the upper end of the can. The bottom plate 12 may also be used for supporting fixedly thereon by means of the suction cup 13 glass and metal bottles and cans of glue, cement, putty, paint, terpentine or the like without having them drip onto the floor.

The can may be removed from engagement with the suction cup by pushing the same outwardly from the ecu-- ter of the bottom plate and forcing the same upwardly along the slope of the side walls of the bottom plate.

The bottom plates 12 may also be of square or cylindrical shape.

The bottom plate 12 with the suction cup 13. mayxalso.

be. employed with a. stick, or post, not shown, having a similar suction cup for mounting the stick within the bottom plate 12 at the center thereof and to provide a target for tossing the drip trays 14 having the openings thereon as a game of skill. Thus, a flying saucer type of game could be provided.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

The above flying saucer type of game may also be played out of doors in place of the horseshoe game that usually includes the two pegs. This would be ideal for the drip trays 14 and eliminate the use of the bottom plates 12. It would be an excellent idea to paint or spray different colors to test the matching color. Then these colored drip trays, after paint drying, can be employed in the flying saucer game and would provide beautiful colors when tossed in the air.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom plate 12 may have a segment cut therefrom approximately one-quarter of its width and this segment may be secured across one side of the drip tray 14 in nesting relationship thereto, for example by means of a snap-on or paint glue to provide a paint wiper. This wiper would hold the brush more firmly to prevent the slippage of the same into the paint can.

The bottom plate 12 may also be cut in one-quarter or one-half (Fig. 7) to provide useful tools, as a paint scraper or a paint shield.

Referring to Fig. 3, the bottom plate 12 could also be employed by artists who usually employ wet brushes which could rest on the suction cup 13 when not in use for short periods. An excellent mixture of different colors of paint or the like may also be effected at the top of the suction cup 13.

A laterally extending straight wire may be fixedly or detachably connected to the drip tray 14 to provide a wire paint brush wiper. The paint paddle could then rest at its upper end against this wire wiper, either within the smaller diameter or the larger diameter opening, thus provided. The conventional lid or cap of the paint can may rest in the hollow drip tray 14 to keep the paint or other contents well covered.

Referring to Fig. 1, the standard wire bail or handle 11 may be removed from one gallon or five gallon paint cans and replaced by an especially designed detachable bail, not shown, which is enlarged so as to provide clearance for the drip tray 14 when the bail is in the operative up position, thus permitting the bail to be swung fully over the drip tray at the top of the paint can. Such a bail at the top thereof would be provided with a hook to permit it to be hung over the rung of the ladder. This hook could be twisted at any angle to the desired position. This especially designed bail would provide more room for the painters moving hand as well as for the paint brush. This bail may also instead be provided at the top with an eye or a twisted wire loop which would receive therethrough the lower end of a detachable spring hook, the upper end of which would engage the rung of the ladder. Thus, when the ladder is not being used, the spring hook could be detached from the eye at the top of the bail.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The combination with a paint can of a hollow substantially frusto conical tray open at both ends, said tray at the smaller end thereof being integrally formed with an outwardly extending flange adapted to be received under the inwardly extending rim of the paint can, a hollow substantially frusto conical bottom plate having a circular central wall, said bottom plate being adapted to selectively fit within said tray and to provide an enclosure for the paint can and to support the lower end of the paint can thereon to prevent the paint from dripping upon the supporting surface, releasable means securing said bottom plate central wall to the lower end of the. paint can comprising a suction cup mounted on said central portion of said bottom wall adapted to engage the lower end of the paint can, a newspaper positioned intermediate said bottom plate and the lower end of the paint can and having a central opening receiving said suction cup therethrough, and a filter disposed across the open upper end of said paint canand being retained in position therein by the outwardly extending flange of said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 912,526 Barr Feb. 16, 1909 1,600,741 Sherman Sept. 21, 1926 2,065,591 Kasik Dec. 29, 1936 2,151,895 Carlson Mar. 28, 1939 2,180,581 Eisenberg Nov. 21, 1939 2,252,686 Baisden et al. Aug. 19, 1941 2,275,305 Morgan Mar. 3, 1942 2,564,979 Jorgensen Aug. 21, 1951 

